Automatic trolley-pole controller.



M. B. JOLLIPFE. AUTOMATIC TROLLEY POLE CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1911.

1,089,414. Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

2 SHEETQ"$HEET 1.

GZ. WW4

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHINGTUN. u. c.

M. B. JOLLIPFE.

AUTOMATIC TROLLEY POLE CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1911,

1,089,414. Patented Mar. 10, 1914,

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAIH CO..\V1\SHINGTON. b. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARK B. JOLLIFFE, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD T0JUSTUS V. RYDER AND ONE-THIRD TO JOHN H. MEEKS, BOTH OF NEW HAVEN,

CONN EGTICUT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

Application filed April 10, 1911. Serial No. 619,991.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MARK B. JOLLIFFE, acitizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county ofNew Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Automatic Trolley-Pole Controllers; and I do herebydeclare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be afull,clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawingsconstitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1 a diagrammatic view partly in side elevation and partly invertical section, of an automatic trolley-pole controller constructed inaccordance with my invention, the pole being shown in its normal orelevated position with its trolley-wheel on the trolley-wire. Fig. 2 acorrespondlng vlew showing the pole in its depressed position and theemergency and conductors valves in their correspondingly changedpositions. Fig. 3 a broken plan view showing the connection of theemergency-magnet with the emergency-valve. Fig. 4 a detached view of thetrolley-pole fork. Fig. 5 a broken View in section showing the positionwhich the conductors valve temporarily assumes while the trolley-pole isbeing replaced. Fig. 6 a plan view of the conductors valve, showing thelever by which it is operated.

My invention relates to an improvement in automatic trolley-po1econtrollers, the object being to provide simple, reliable and convenientmeans for safe-guarding a trolley-pole in case it jumps thetrolley-wire.

With these ends in view my invention consists in an automatictrolley-pole controller having certain details of construction andcombinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and pointed outin the claims.

In carrying out my invention as herein shown, I employ a trolley-pole 2furnlshed at its upper end with a trolley-wheel3 which normally runsupon an ordinary trolleywire 4. The said pole 2 is hung upon a pivot 5passing through it near its lower end and mounted in the upper ends ofthe arms 6 of a fork 7 the lower end of which is mounted so as to swivelin the roof 8 of a trolley-car. At its extreme lower end the pole 2 isformed with a bowed arm 9 pivotally connected to the projecting outerend of a piston-rod 10 the inner end of which is pivoted to a piston 11located in a compressed-air cylinder 12 containing a helicaloperating-spring 13 and a buffer-spring 14, encircling the saidpiston-rod 10 and interposed between the inner end of the cylinder 12and the piston 11. The said cylinder is located upon a horizontalplatform 15 rigidly secured to the threaded lower end of the fork 7 bymeans of nuts16 and 17 which permit the platform 15 to be verticallyadjusted as desired. Under this con struction the platform 15 and itsload swivels with the fork 7 and pole 2 which swing to accommodate thepole to curves in the trolley-wire 4. A flexible compressedair tube 18leads to the outer end of the said cylinder 12 from a valve-casing 19containing a three-way emergency-valve 20 the projecting stem 21 ofwhich is connected by an arm 22 with the downwardly turned outer end 23of the longitudinally movable armature 24 of an emergency-magnet 25located in a shunt-circuit (not shown) from the trolley-wire 4.

A helical spring 26 located within the magnet 25 is arranged to push thearmature 24 outward when the magnet 25 is demagnetized by being cut outof the circuit of the trolley-wire 4. The magnet-frame 27 is pivotallymounted upon a bracket 28, whereby the magnet is permitted toaccommodate itself to the movement of the arm 22 of the valve 20 asshown in Fig. 2. The said emergency-valve 20 is connected by a pipe 29with a compressed-air tank 30 located beneath the trolley car. The tank30 may be the same tank as is used for the operation of compressedair-brakes for the car. In the pipe 29 I locate another three-way valve31 contained. in a valve-casing 32 and interposed between the said tank30 and the emergency-valve 20. The said valve 31, which I shall forconvenience call the conductors valve to distinguish it from theemergency-valve, is provided with an operating-lever 33 by means ofwhich it is operated by the conductor of the car.

When the trolley-wheel 3 is running upon the trolley-wire 4, the circuitis kept closed through the emergency-magnet 25 which normally maintainsthe armature 24 in its retracted position against the constant effort ofthe spring 26 to project it. As long as the armature 24: is retained inits retracted position, it holds the emergency-valve 20 in its closedposition as seen in Fig. 1, whereby the passage of any compressed airfrom the tank 30 to the compressed-air cylinder 12 is prevented,although the conductors valve 31 is at this time open, as shown in Fig.1, which also shows that in its closed position the three-wayemergency-valve 20 has one port open to the atmosphere so that therewill be no vacuum created or compression of air when the piston 11 isoperated by the oscillations of the pole in ordinary use. Now should thetrolley-wheel 3 jump off the trolley-wire 4, the shunt circuit throughthe magnet 25 will immediately be broken and the magnet demagnetized,leaving the spring 26 free to act to project the armature 25 into itsextended position in which it is seen in Fig. 2. This outward movementof the armature 2et throws the emergency-valve 20 into its open positionas shown in Fig. 2, and therefore establishes uninterruptedcommunication between the tank 30 and the cylinder 12. The pressure inthe tank 30 is therefore immediately exerted upon the piston 11 which ismoved against the tension of the spring 13 with the effect of loweringthe trolley-pole 2 into its clearance or horizontal position in which itis seen in Fig. 2, the buffer-spring 1 1 acting to cushion the shock ofthe sudden lowering of the long heavy pole 2 into a horizontal positionin which it will be held by the pressure of air in the tank 30 and inthe pipes 29 and 18 as long as the valves 20 and 31 are left open. Inits depressed position, of course the pole is prevented from beingitself injured or from doing injury.

Preparatory to restoring the pole 2 to engagement with the trolley-wireL, the'conductor of the car operates the lever 33 of the conductorsvalve 31 to turn the same into its closed position in which it is shownin Fig. 5, and in which the port 34 in its casing 32 is opened to permitatmospheric pressure to be restored in the cylinder 12. As theair-pressure in the cylinder 12 falls, the spring 13 asserts itself tomove the piston 11 as required for drawing the piston-rod 10 inward andso lifting the trolley-pole 2 back into its normal position in which itis held by the spring 13. Now as soon as the trolley-wheel 8 strikes thetrolley-wire a a current will be sent through the emergencymagnet 25which will immediately operate to retract the armature 24 and so restorethe emergency-valve 20 to its closed position as shown in Fig. 1. Theconductor must now use the lever 33 to open the conductors valve 31 soas to permit the passage of the compressed-air as far as theemergency-valve 20. By employing a swiveled platform 15 for the cylinder12, and a flexible pipe 18 for connecting the said cylinder to the saidemergency-valve 20, the apparatus is adapted to accommodate itself tothe positions which the pole 2 must assume in turning corners or movingout of a right line.

I claiinz 1. In an automatic trolley-pole controller, the combinationwith a pivotal trolley-pole, of a compressed-air cylinder locatedbeneath the said pole and having its piston connected with the said poleat a point below the pivot thereof, a compressed-air tank, connectionbetween the said cylinder and air tank, an emergency-valve and aconductors valve located in the said connection, and means controlled bythe operating current for automatically operating the emergency-valve topermit compressed air to flow directly from the said tank into the saidcylinder the moment the trolley-pole leaves the trolley-wire, and forclosing the said valve when the pole is again in contact with thetrolley wire.

2. In an automatic trolley-pole controller, the combination with apivotal trolley-pole, of a compressed air cylinder located beneath thesaid pole, a piston located in the said cylinder and connected with thesaid pole at a point below the pivot thereof, an operating-springlocated within the cylinder and exerting a constant effort to lift thepole, a tank for compressed air connection between the said cylinder andtank, an emergency-valve and a conductors valve located in the saidconnection, a magnet located' in the circuit of the trolley-wire andconnected with the said emergencyvalve which is closed by the saidmagnet when the circuit is closed, and means for opening the saidemergency valve when the current through the said magnet is broken, topermit compressed air to flow directly from the said tank to the saidcylinder.

3. In an automatic trolley-pole controller, the combination with apivotal trolley-pole, of a compressed-air cylinder located beneath thesaid pole and having its piston connected with the said pole at a pointbelow the pivotthereof, a movable support for the pole and cylinder,whereby the same are permitted to accommodate themselves to curves inthe trolleywire, a compressed air tank, an emergency-valve, flexibleconnection between the said cylinder and emergency-valve, a conductorsvalve controlling the passage of compressed air from the said tank tothe said emergency-valve, a magnet located in a shunt circuit of thetrolley-wire and connected with the emergency-valve which is closed bythe said magnet when the current through the same is closed, and meansfor opening the said valve when the current through the said magnet isbroken, to permit compressed air to fiow directly from the said tank tothe said cylinder.

4. In an automatic trolley-pole controller, the combination with atrolley-pole, of a compressedair cylinder located beneath the said pole,a piston located in the said cylinder and connected with the pole at apoint below the pivot thereof, a spring exerting a constant effort tolift the pole, a compressed-air tank, connection between the said tankand cylinder, an emergency-valve and a. conductors valve located in thesaid connection, a magnet located in the circuit of the trolley-wire, amovable armature for the said magnet, and connection between the saidarmature and emergency-valve for automatically opening the valve whenthe cur rent is cut off from the magnet by the jumping of thetrolleywheel from the trolleywire and for automatically closing thevalve when the trolley wheel is replaced on the trolley wire.

In an automatic trolley-pole controller, the combination with a pivotaltrolleypole, of a compressed-air cylinder located beneath the said poleand having its piston connected with the said pole below the pivotthereof, a compressed-air tank, connection between the said cylinder andtank, a three-way emergency-valve and a three-way conductors valvelocated in the said connection, and means controlled by the operatingcurrent for automatically opening the emergency-valve when the currentis broken by the jumping of the trolley'wheel oif the trolley-wire andfor automatically closing the valve when the trolley wheel is replaced.on the trolley wire.

(5. In an automatic trolley-pole controller, the combination with apivotal trolley-pole, of a spring normally holding the same in itselevated position, a compressed-air cylinder located beneath the saidpole and having its piston connected with the said pole below the pivotthereof, a compressed-air tank, means connecting the said cylinder andtank, a three-way emergency-valve and a three-way conductors valvelocated in the said connection, a shunt circuit for the trolley-wire, amagnet located in the said shunt circuit, a connection between themagnet and emergency-valve, whereby the same is closed when the shuntcircuit is closed by the replacement of the trolley-wheel upon thetrolley-wire, and means for opening the en'iergency-valve to admitcompressed air to the cylinder when the operating current is broken bythejumping of the trolleywheel from the trolley-wire.

7. In an automatic trolley-pole controller, the combination with apivotal trolley-pole, of a swiveling fork therefor, a platform carriedby the said fork, a cylinder mounted upon the platform at a pointbeneath the said pole, a piston rod connected with the pole at a pointbeneath the pivot thereof, a piston for the cylinder, a spring connectedwith the trolley-pole and normally maintaining the same in its elevatedposition, a compressed-air tank, connection between the said tank andcylinder, the said connection being flexible to accommodate the movementof the cylinder with the said platform, a three-way emergency-valve anda three-way conductors valve located in the said connection, a magnetlocated in a shunt circuit of the trolley-wire, connection between thesaid magnet and emergency-valve, whereby the latter is closed when theoperating current is closed, and means for opening the valve when thecurrent through the said magnet is broken, to permit compressed air toflow from the said tank to the said cylinder when the current is broken.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

MARK B. J OLLIFFE.

Witnesses AMMI TI-IUDINGTON, BURTON V. BRADLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

